Federal Grand Jury Indicts Maverick County Commissioner Jose Rosales

In Eagle Pass, TX, this afternoon, FBI agents arrested 35-year-old Maverick County Precinct 3 Commissioner and Eagle Pass ISD teacher Jose Luis Rosales after a federal grand jury in Del Rio charged him earlier this week in connection with an alleged bribery, kickback and bid-rigging scheme announced Acting United States Attorney Richard Durbin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

A federal grand jury indictment, returned on Wednesday and unsealed today, charges Rosales with four counts of receiving bribes. The indictment alleges that in 2011 and 2012, Rosales manipulated the bidding process to guarantee that individuals he chose would be awarded Maverick County construction contracts. Those contractors deposited the checks issued to them by Maverick County and then made cash payments to Rosales. According to the indictment, the private contractors submitted inflated bids to Maverick County in order for there to be sufficient funds to perform the construction work, make a profit, and pay the bribe to Rosales.

Upon conviction, Rosales faces up to ten years in federal prison for each bribery charge.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigative Division together with the Customs and Border Protection Office of Internal Affairs and the Eagle Pass Independent School District Police Department. Individuals who have first-hand information about corruption, fraud, or bribery related to Maverick County are urged to contact the FBI at (210) 225-6741.

Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Griffin and Bryan Reeves are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.